Display container for bracelets or the like



J. G. HAHN 2,892,541

DISPLAY CONTAINER FOR BRACELETS OR THE LIKE June 30, 1959 Filed Feb. 14,1957 F/GKZ .w m my a 0 H J United States PatentG DISPLAY CONTAINERFORfBRACELETS OR THE LIKE Jerome G. Hahn, Cedarhurst, N.Y.,' assignor toilacoby- Bender, Inc., Woodside, N.Y.,-a corporation of New YorkApplication February 14, 1957, Serial No-. 640,096

1 Claim. '(C]. 206-78) The present invention relates to a displaycontainer particularly adapted for use'with elongated flexibleobjectssuch as bracelets, ne'cklacesandthe'like. 1

Modern merchandising methods more or less require that individual itemsof adornment, such as bracelets, necklaces and the like, beindividuallymounted or packaged. In this way each unit is'protected against'd'amagefrom the other units packed therewithwherr they are shipped. Eachindividual unit is more efiectively displayed, with its individual styleand appearance more readily visible to the prospective purchaser. Thename or insignia of the manufacturer-may be directlyassociatedtherewithby being printed on eachpackage, thus building up goodwill inthat name or insignia-andcausing the identity of the manufacturer to bemore readily associated with the particularitem or the specific-designthereof. The individual units may more-readily "be handled at the pointof sale. Other advantages will suggest themselves.

Particularly in the field of wristwatch bracelets, in connectionwith-wln'ch this invention is here specifically disclosed, it is-nOW thealmost universal custom that bracelets be carded or packaged, usuallybutnotexclusively individually, and in such a way that the bracelet isclearly visible for display purposes.

-One--form of such packaging anddisplay,' here'tofore used bytheassignee of this application on' a large scale, is the mounting ofthe bracelet on-a-cardsuch as 'that shown in Krust Patent 2,656,919 ofOctober 27, 1-953, entitled Display Card for 'Bracelets or the like, thebracelet-card combination then being covered by a transparent envelope.With such ad-isplay card -or even in a container of conventional-form,some-means must be provided for securing the bracelet inplace. However,it is a requisitethat the-bracelet be-readily detachable, so that, forexample, a; prospective'purchaser may'observe it more closely; tryfiiton his own wrist, or place it i juxtaposition to his watch inorder'tosatisfy himself that the bracelet design properly blendswith thedesign of his'watch.

The cost of this general type of display mounting and packagingrepresents a surprisingly large proportion of the total cost of thebracelet, and this' 'is particularly attributable, directly orindirectly, to the-means for securing the individual bracelets in placeon their cards. :The actual cost of .the securing-means, .-:usually'formed of metal, and theassembly of the securing means to the icebreakage because of impatient or improper manipulation 'bythe retailjeweler.

In accordance with the present invention the above disadvantages areeliminated or minimized to an appreciable degree, and at the same time adisplay package of ingenious and extremely effective appearance isproduced. The package is so designed that the bracelet may be held inplace thereon merely by the action of placing it in the package. Itis'not necessary to engage the bracelet'with any auxiliary securingmeans, and no suchmeans are provided. To remove the bracelet from 'thepackage it is only necessary to open the package, grasp the bracelet andpull it out. The package is so designed that the very act of insertingthe bracelet there- 'i'nto will cause the bracelet to assume its desireddisplay position and to remain within the package until bodily pulledtherefrom. In addition, the package is'so designed that difierentportions of the bracelet will'be displaydin different configurations,the end portions being arched and the central portion being flat in theform here specifically disclosed, so that the bracelet design will beexhibited in such away as to bring out its beauty to the maximum degree.

To 'these ends the package is provided with a transparenttop wall ofsinuous configuration having an overall peripheral length substantiallyequal to that of the display cards, are substantialfactors. :Even moresigbracelet to be placed therein, the linear distance between the'endsof this wall beingless than the total length .of the bracelet. Thissinuous top wall is spaced from the bottom-wall of the container so thatthe bracelet may be receivedtherebetween. The ends of thebracelet restupon thebottom wall and the body of the bracelet will assume theconfiguration-of the top wall, this being possible'because the braceletis flexible at least to a degree. However,-the inherent rigidity of thebracelet, which causes it to tend to straighten out, together with theengagement of'the ends of the bracelet with the bottom wall, will ensurethat the bracelet will retain its sinuous configuration corresponding tothat of the top wall and will be held close to the top wall, throughwhich it may be viewed. The container is provided with an opening,preferably in the bottom wall, through which the-bracelet may pass so asto be insertable into or removable from the container.

7 "In the form here specifically disclosed the bottom wall of thecontainer is similar to that type of display card preferably used inconnection'with wrist watch bracelets, except that no separatebracelet-attaching means needbe provided. A transparent housing issecured to this bottom wall, the upper portion of that housing beingdefined by the'aforementioned sinuous top wall. 'A portion ofthe bottomwall beneath the transparent housing may be moved out of the plane ofsaid wall so as to produce the opening through which the bracelet maypass. v

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as mayhereinafter appear, the present invention relates to a display containerfor a bracelet or the like as defined in the appended claim and asdescribed in this specification, taken together with theaccompanying-drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view' of a container of thepresent invention, a flexible bracelet being shown in place therein bybroken lines;

Fig. '2' is a bottom plan view of the container of Fig. 1 on a reducedscale;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the opening through whichthe bracelet may pass being exposed;

Fig.4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2, thebracelet being shown in broken lines; and

-Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view'taken al-ongthe line S- 5 0f Fig. 2.

The display container of the present invention comprises a basegenerally designated A and a housing generally designated B mountedthereon, within which housing B a bracelet generally designated C andshown in broken lines in Figs. 1 and 4 is adapted to be received.

The base A comprises a bottom sheet element 2 and a top sheet element 4of suitable material such as paperboard, between which is positioned alayer 6 of felt or the like. The upper sheet element 4 is provided withan elongated opening 8.

The housing B may advantageously be molded in one piece from suitabletransparent plastic material. It is provided with side and end flanges10 and 12 respectively received between the sides and ends respectivelyof the base elements 2 and 4, and with a housing portion gen erallydesignated 14 extending up therefrom through the opening 3 in the upperbase element 4. The housing portion 14 comprises side walls 16 and a topwall having arched or convex end portions 18 and a connecting centralflat portion 20. The central fiat portion 20 is spaced above the base A,and more specifically above the base element 2 and the felt sheet 6which it overlies, by a distance at least equal to the thickness of thebracelet C to be received therein. The: arched or convex top wallportions 18 extend above the corresponding portions of the base 2 forgreater distances. The width of the top wall portions 18 and 20 is atleast as great as, and preferably closely approximates, the width of thebracelet C to be inserted. The side walls 16 extend down from the topwall portions 18 and 20 to the base A.

The container is assembled by interposing the flanges 10 and 12 betweenthe base elements 2 and 4, the felt sheet 6 having previously beensecured to the upper surface of the lower base element 2, the entiremulti-ply assembly then being secured together around the edges of thecontainer in any appropriate manner.

A space generally designated 22 is thus defined between the base A andthe housing B. In order to provide access to" this space 22, a portion24 of the lower base element 2 positioned beneath the housing B isrendered removable. As here specifically disclosed that portion 24 isset oif from the lower base element 2 by means of cuts 26 extendingthrough the lower base element 2 and the felt sheet 6 secured theretoaround the entire periphery of the portion 24 except for the lines 28,the lines 28 being foldlines, so that the portion 24 is pivotablebetween its position shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, in which it is in theplane of the bottom base element 2, closing off the space 22, and itsposition shown in Fig. 3, in which it is out of the plane of the lowerbase element 2 and exposes an opening 30 through which access to thespace 22 may be had. The purpose of the foldlines 28 is to prevent lossof the portion 24, but it is entirely within the scope of the presentinvention to make the portion 24 completely removable from the lowerbase element 2. If desired, and as here specifically shown, a portion ofthe base element 2 may be cut away, as at 32, to provide a thumbnailopening opposite the foldlines 28 for grasping and moving the portion 24from its closed position to its open position.

The housing top wall portions 18 meet the base A at points 34 and 36.The length of the portion 24 is prefcrably less than the distancebetween the points 34 and 36, thus providing, at the points 34 and 36,ledges on the upper surface of the base A on which the ends of thebracelet C may rest. The linear distance between the points 34 and 36 isless than the linear length of the bracelet C to be received within thecontainer. The peripheral length of the housing top wall portions 18 and20 measured from point 34 to point 36 is, however, closely the same asthe linear length of the bracelet C to be received within the container.

Accordingly, when the bracelet C is inserted into the space 22 via theopening 30 and its ends are placed upon the ledges at 34 and 36 the bodyof the bracelet C will conform to the sinuousity of the housing top wallportions 18 and 20 and the tendency of the bracelet C to straighten outwill be resisted by those top wall portions, so that the bracelet willbe firmly and reliably retained in position. The central portion of thebracelet body received beneath the housing top wall portion 20 will havebut a limited amount of vertical play or clearance when the portion 24is in place closing the opening 39 and the ends of the bracelet will berestrained from spreading apart by the ends of the housing top wallportions 18. Thus even if the container is subjected to rough handlingthe bracelet C will be reliably retained in position, and in thatposition the end portions thereof will be arched and the central portionthereof will be flat (when the housing top wall is configured as herespecifically disclosed), the bracelet C being clearly visible throughthe housing B and contrasting with the visible surface of the felt sheet6 so as to be displayed in a distinctive manner and with its facets orother ornaments visible at various angles of view so that itsattractiveness is best brought out.

To insert the bracelet C within the space 22 it is merely necessary topass one end of the bracelet through the opening 30 and onto the ledge34 or 36, the rest of the bracelet then being pushed into the space 22.to conform to the housing top wall sections 18 and 20 and with its otherend placed upon the other ledge 36 or 34. The base portion 24 is thenput in position closing the opening 30, and the assembly of the braceletwith the container is complete. Only a minimal amount of time .isinvolved, it is virtually impossible to misposition the bracelet andstill close the opening 30 with the base portion 24, and the bracelet,although efiective and reliably retained in its unusual displayposition, need not be engaged with any auxiliary securing means, norneed any such securing means he provided. The bracelet may as readily beremoved from the container merely by moving the base portion 24 to itsposition shown in Fig. 3, grasping the central portion of the braceletbody, and pulling it out through the opening 39, the remainder of thebracelet following along.

The cost to the manufacturer of the container of the present inventioncompares quite favorably to the cost of display cards with auxiliaryattaching elements and with transparent plastic envelopes into which thecarded bracelet combination must be placed. From the point of view ofassembly the container of the present invention is quite markedlysuperior, since the amount of time required to secure the bracelet inplace in the container of the present invention is much less than haspreviously been involved in attaching a bracelet to auxiliary securingmeans on a card and then inserting the card and bracelet in atransparent envelope and closing that envelope. The bracelets may bemore readily removed from and reinserted into their respectivecontainers by the retail jewelers. In addition, the display of braceletsin the container of the present invention is quite markedly superior toprior art packaging methods from an advertising and merchandising pointof view.

Although the invention has been here specifically disclosed as embodiedin a container for an individual bracelet or the like, it will beunderstood that it is also capable of adaptation to gang packaging.Other variations may be made in the specific details here illustrated,all within the scope of the present invention as defined in thefollowing claim.

I claim:

In the combination of a bracelet flexible substantially throughout itsentire length and a display container therefor and within which saidbracelet is received, the im provement which comprises said containercomprising a base comprising upper and lower elements secured together,said upper element having an elongated opening formed therein, and ahousing having flanges secured between said base elements, side wallsextending up therefrom through the opening in said upper element, and atransparent top wall connecting said side walls and comprising concaveend portions and a lower central portion, said top wall portionsextending over and being spaced upwardly from said base, the lineardistance between the remote ends of said end portions beingsubstantially less than that of said bracelet, said bracelet having itsends adjacent the ends of said housing and adopting the configuration ofsaid top wall and lies along the inner surface thereof, and saidcontainer having a closable opening providing access to the spacebetween said housing and said base, said closable opening being definedby a portion of said lower element beneath the opening in said upperelement which is movable out of References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 178,030 Westerman June 12, 19562,568,625 Harvey Sept. 18, 1951 2,656,919 Krust Oct. 27, 1953 FOREIGNPATENTS 128,611 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1928

